Welcome to my blog. I work full time and creating is my sanity. I like to use many different mediums and was a finalist in the Fire Mountain Beading Contest in 2008. I am a passionate blogger, and a promoter of handmade goodness.

Monday, February 28, 2011

Hello dear readers, in the Southern Hemisphere, Autumn is now upon us. It is truly my favourite season. The days are still fair, the mornings crisp and invigorating, the daylight hours are getting shorter as the last tendrils of summer dissipate. I hope you enjoy this Autumn inspired Wednesday Wishlist.

Friday, February 25, 2011

Hello lovely lovely readers. Welcome to Part 4 of the Friday Friends, Dusty Divas series. I hope your week has been a wonderful one. For those readers who live in or have loved ones in the earthquake affected areas of New Zealand, my thoughts are with you. It is nearly the end of a summer, the days seem to be getting a little shorter and the sun seems to be coming up a little later. I have found myself enjoying what time I can in the garden after work, just catching those last few rays. To round out my February blog posts, focused on all things romantically feminine, it is my great pleasure this week to introduce a new Friday Friend and lovely Dusty Diva - Carmel of Lace and Links and Lace and Luxuries I can tell you from firsthand experience that Carmel's creations are gorgeous. I have these sweet bobby pins and this gorgeous bracelet made a perfect Christmas gift for a special teenage girl in my life. I heart these Button flower embellishments with fabric and paper petalsand wish I was a dress size or two smaller so I could squeeze into this beautiful Slip dress made with vintage lace and tea dyed - isn't the detail just gorgeous ?I invite you now dear readers to sit down with a nice hot cup of tea or coffee if you prefer, and lose yourself for a little while in the luxurious story of Carmel's craft.

The tale of Lace and Links & Lace and Luxuries

Hi I’m Carmel and I’m the face behind Lace and Links and Lace and Luxuries. I started making jewellery because I couldn't find pieces I like, so I bought some findings for earrings and a few beads to make a couple of pairs-I became addicted to the prettiness, sparkles and variety of beads available. I started making things for others and then decided I could sell my creations to pay for more stock. To sell, I needed a name and at the time I was making jewellery with pieces of lace and resin so Lace and Links was born. Creating something that I love and then selling it to someone who loves it as much as I do is the best feeling and the idea of my creations being worn in the other side of the world is amazing.I get bored very easily when I’m creating so I always have more than one thing on the go. I have tried so many different things; the supplies in my craft room would rival a shop. There is always a hook and a ball of crochet cotton in my hand bag and an extra bag of goodies in the luggage when we go on holidays.Sewing has always been a great creative release for me. For my 8th birthday, my Auntie gave me a box full of cut out dolls dresses, fabric and patterns, scissors and needle and cotton, and I think that’s where my love of sewing started. Mum always sewed our clothes-especially our “good” dresses and I made my own as I got older. I hate patterns-that could come from me being a control freak-but I like to say that I just like to design and create on my own. I can’t draw at all so all of my creations come from my head and from the beads or fabric as I look at them. A certain bead has to be made into this, that fabric would look great made into that and that doily or length of lace needs to go just there. Trial and error also keeps me creating as one idea leads to another.Etsy has been wonderful for me. I really had no idea what the internet was, I couldn’t even really use a computer, but have through patience and perseverance I can now do most things I need to for my business. The DUST team-I could write a full article just on the beautiful, helpful and friendly women I have found there. The support I have had both personally and professionally has kept me sane over the last 3 years. I have never met any of them but count them as some of my closest friends.When I’m not crafting, you can find me either playing with the grandies, spending time with my beautiful family, helping to organise the high school pedal prix team, reading, taking photos or chatting online.

Want to see more of Carmel's lovely creations ?Here is how you can connect with Carmel :

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

I got this song stuck in my head recently (warning this video clip contains adult themes) and thought it would make a great topic for a Wednesday Wishlist. I hope you enjoy the collection of images I have put together xox

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Hello lovely readers, thank you for all of your fabulous comments on the Spincushions giveaway post. It is wonderful to be able to share with you the new product line that Shelley of Spincushions has introduced to her ETSY store.

I have tallied your comments and there were 41 entries in total. I have put these numbers into the random number generator at Random Org - the true Random Number Service.

And the winning entry is.......drumroll please..........

Congratulations to Number 14 - Claire !

Claire, I will be in touch soon to get some details so Shelley @ Spincushions can forward your prize. Thank you again everyone for participating. The feedback that you have given to Shelley in the form of your comments, is a valuable business tool - it's always nice to hear what consumers like !

Friday, February 18, 2011

Welcome lovely blog followers - I hope you have had the most wonderful week and TGIF ! It gives me much pleasure to introduce a local artist this week, keeping with the theme of romance, Valentines and femininity on my blog this month - meet Woz ! Woz's story is fascinating and inspiring, especially to a fellow crafter and I really enjoyed finding out more about Woz's artistic background.

Dear readers, that is quiet enough from me - I invite you to sit back and indulge yourself in the wonderul artistic story of Woz - I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I did ! oh and a quick P.S. have you entered the Spincushions giveaway (click the link, go on ! ) yet ? It closes on Sunday x

I believe that my fine art exhibit will excite viewers and that the public presence of this imagery will evoke and arouse some contemplated discussion and sensations. I also trust that lovers of art realise that artistic expression is never a competition, rather that artists faithful to their work know that art ismeant to inspire.

The tour kicked off last year here in Albany at Vancouver Arts Centre,then Manjimup and finished with a 5 week showing at Art Geo Courthouse Gallery in Busselton. I had some great feedback and comments on both the collection as a whole and individual pieces.

Each piece in the collection depicts a specific state of being and the intent is to show woman of today (21st Century) in various aspects of the human condition. I have employed eclectic painterly styles in this exploratory journey and attempted to create diverse imagery, which integrates the main nucleus of my theme and it’s delicate dais.

The exhibition features paintings in both oils and acrylic and it is my intention to keep the collection as an ongoing project. It will be interesting to watch it grow and although some paintings will sell along the way it is intended to be kept intact for the most part. The idea is to keep a record of 'femme stasis' in the 21st century.

The human condition is an exciting and interesting subject to explore and as far as capturing this in a visual art context "complex and challenging". To capture a look or mood seemed almost impossible at first! With a little experimentation and many, many sketches it became less daunting.

In the artworld, critics frown on "bifurcation" as it does not allow them to put their finger on a determined style and go on to tear it apart. They tag such artists as "bitty", "random" and "unfocussed". What I am doing is entirely pre-meditated.